[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: BMW V8 Aluminium thoughts.

Kim Watters responds:

>This particular dealer is in the Atlanta Area (South East where
>the problem is supposed to be the worst) and has a full time mechanic >just for the V-8 short block replacements.
- --------------------------------------------------
Do I get it?
The warrantee is  a  new short block with your old heads?
The "whole thing" is dissassembled  and rebuilt on the busy shop floor 
of the dealership. "Quality control"  is when they start the engine after
reinstallation in the car.....and hope everything is ok.......?
This whole procedure is full of potential problems beginning  with
the R and R of  the engine. This is major surgery.
            Just keep them rolling somehow , till the 100k warrantee is over?


Bob Duckworth  adds:
>In this case, I believe that BMW NA will make out O.K. for two reasons:
1.  Not many consumers have access to the calibre of information
that we get from the Digest.  They don't all know about the problems
that BMW is having with Sulfur and the V-8.  We do because some of
the Digester's have these cars and shared the info and fears with
us.
>2.  Time dulls the memory.  Unless there is a huge lawsuit with the
attendant publicity, John Q Public will never hear of this problem.
 When he/she see a nice shiny 540i on the lot for 12-16K with
warranty remaining, HOLY COW!!! A new bimmeroid will be created.
They will or will not learn too late.  We can't save them and we
would be foolish to assume that the government will care enough to
save them.
- ---------------------------------------------------
          
          If I buy  a new car for" transportation" for $50-$80k from a 
premium manufacturer like BMW, Is it reasonable to expect that the car 
will NOT have any potential serious defects ( like this aluminium V8 
issue)?

Defects which severely affect the reliability and the resale value?
If they knew they had this problem and did not disclose it while continuing 
to sell these defective cars, then they  deceived their customers. 
After all,these cars are designed for every day transportation and not as 
experimental race cars.
If the authorized dealers knew about this problem and did not disclose it, 
when selling  Aluminium V8 BMWs, they too are part of the deception . 

I would also argue that the element of Sulphur is not some new
" unforseen " component in gasoline. 

When did they know and when did they start disclosure?

FTM, this engine is being used in the "top of the line" models;
If they mishandle this, you can be sure Lexus et al will not miss the 
opportunity to market these demanding customers(who tend to have long 
memories). The Japanese are just getting started in this market segment.

I would offer a buy back program/exchange to any customer who asked.
Take the buy backs cars, fix them in a production line where the quality 
can be assured . Resell them with confidence as "remanufactured" vehicles.
In the end, this will be far more effective public relations than the
"fix as needed"policy. It  will all comes down to whether they want repeat 
customers in the next 5 years. 

Another question came to me.... Aluminium  motorcycle engines can be
"torqued". "Torqued" is when the the block becomes distorted from stress 
and typically loses its bearing journal alignment. The engine then vibrates 
badly at idle . Can this also happen to these engines? 

Myself,I will stick with the cast iron 6 and the "keep it simple stupid "
philosophy.

Sincerely,
Henri Baccouche
(Los Angeles)